Step 1 Scholarship Grant FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the Step 1 Scholarship Service Grant?

The Step 1 Scholarship Service Grant is a $2,000 award provided by ICAN to support high schools in expanding access to scholarship information and increasing FAFSA completion rates. The grant is designed to help schools list local scholarships on the Step 1 Scholarship platform and encourage students to actively use the service to research scholarship opportunities.

2. What are the goals of the grant?

The primary goals of the grant are to:

Encourage schools to list local scholarships on the Step 1 Scholarship platform
Increase student use of the Step 1 Scholarship Service for local, state, and national scholarships
Support school-based efforts to increase FAFSA completion rates

3. How much funding does the school receive?

Each awarded school receives $2,000 through the Step 1 Scholarship Service Grant.

4. How will grant funds be distributed?

Once ICAN receives the completed and signed grant agreement, a grant check will be mailed directly to the school. The check will be addressed to the grant submitter listed on the application.

5. How can our school use the grant funds?

Grant funds may be used to support activities aligned with the grant objectives, such as:

Staff time dedicated to collecting and submitting local scholarship information
Student outreach or events promoting scholarship searches
FAFSA completion initiatives or workshops
Materials or incentives that encourage student participation in scholarship and financial aid planning.
Utilizing funds for food at events or as a celebration of achieving your goals is fine. The grant funds CANNOT be used for prizes.
Grant funds CANNOT be used to pay school staff to attend after school events.

6. How do we submit local scholarships to the Step 1 Scholarship database?

Schools may submit scholarships in one of two ways:

Complete the online scholarship submission form provided by ICAN
Submit a spreadsheet that includes all required fields from the submission form, fully completed for each scholarship to bmorey@icansucceed.org.

ICAN staff will review submissions and assist with uploading scholarships to the platform.

7. What information is required for each scholarship submission?

Each scholarship submission must include all required fields from the Step 1 Scholarship submission form, such as eligibility criteria, award amount, deadline, application requirements, and contact information. Submissions with missing information may be delayed.

8. When should scholarships be submitted?

Schools are encouraged to submit scholarships as soon as possible to ensure they are available to students during key scholarship and FAFSA planning periods. Ongoing submissions throughout the school year are welcome.

9. How do students access the Step 1 Scholarship Service?

Students can access the Step 1 Scholarship Service through the Step 1 platform, where they can search and review local, state, and national scholarship opportunities.

10. Are schools required to meet specific participation targets?

While ICAN does not require specific participation quotas, schools are expected to make a good-faith effort to promote scholarship listings, encourage student usage of the Step 1 Scholarship Service, and support FAFSA completion efforts as outlined in the grant agreement.

11. Is reporting required as part of the grant?

Any reporting or documentation requirements are outlined in the grant agreement. Schools may be asked to share brief updates on scholarship submissions, student engagement, or FAFSA-related activities.

12. Who should we contact if we have questions or need support?

For questions or assistance, schools may contact their ICAN advisor or reach out directly to Brittania Morey at bmorey@icansucceed.org.